


Beyond

by forgottenkeyboard



Series: beyondverse - tales of argetfell [1]
Category: The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini
Genre: Gen, kind of ongoing but i make it up as i go along so bear with me, look i just wanted to write about the first urgal and dwarf riders that's so exciting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2018-12-07 08:43:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11620014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forgottenkeyboard/pseuds/forgottenkeyboard
Summary: When Eragon Shadeslayer and the dragon Saphira vanished into the lands beyond Alagaësia, no one knew what they might find. Eight years after Galbatorix's fall, however, they've found a home. And the dragons that hatch for humans, elves, dwarves, and Urgals alike must all make the same journey to meet he who will train them to be as powerful as the Riders of old...





	1. Dí

**Author's Note:**

> Look Christopher, if you're not gonna write about how interesting training a bunch of new Riders is then someone has to. This is just a little one shot that sprang outta my brain and I felt like putting it out there. It's marked as completed, but I may add to it someday. If anyone's even still alive in this fandom then I hope you enjoy. There will be more notes at the end. :)

It was an unusually cool and cloudy night for midsummer, the scent of impending rain thick in the air. It had been unseasonably rainy all week. It could be because they had wandered so far north as their ship meandered up the Edda River. Or so Dí thought, anyway. 

The young _knurla_ was seated on the prow of the ship, a skinny delicate thing called... blast, she couldn't remember the strange elvish name. _I bet that will be the hardest part of all this,_ she thought glumly. _Learning elvish. I've barely gotten used to this human language, now I'm expected to learn a whole new one?_

_The ancient language will come quicker than you think._

The strange voice that echoed in her head still startled her sometimes, and she still found it hard to acquaint the deep baritone she heard with the physical body of he whom the voice belonged to. Squinting upwards, she strained to catch sight of the thought's origin. _You were gone a while._

_Ingolfr and I were looking for something to chase. We found a rabbit._ Dí blinked when she received a scrap of memory not her own, of a flash of scales and the squeal of a dying animal, then the sensation of licking blood off of talons she did not have. 

_Where are you?_

Instead of words, she again received a vision from another's eyes: this time an image of the top of her head, and the rest of the ship as seen from a bird's eye view. Or, Dí thought, a dragon's eye view. She craned her neck to peer directly upwards and caught a glimpse of sand-colored scales, circling a hundred feet above the ship. _Where is Ingolfr? ___

____

____

_I don't know._ Scarcely a second after he thought it, there was an explosion of noise next to the ship as a scaly shape burst through the surface of the river and landed on the deck a few feet from Dí, showering her with cold water and causing her to shriek in surprise.

_"BEROAN!"_ she roared, out loud and in her mind. Then, just with her thoughts, _You tricked me!_

_No I didn't!_ her dragon protested. _I had no idea he was going to do that._

Dí settled for glaring furiously at the hatchling who was still shaking drops of water off his sky-blue scales. "What in Gûntera's name possessed you to do that?" she demanded.

Ingolfr, for that was the hatchling's name, met her gaze coolly and said nothing. It was considered rude to talk to someone else's dragon with your mind without asking first, Dí had learned, but that also meant that you had to wait for them to reach out to you. After a moment, the alien mind brushed hers. She received no words, simply a wave of emotions: amusement, mostly, with a bit of an apologetic tone. Then he turned away and took off with a few flaps of his white wings.

Frustrated, the dwarf closed her eyes and concentrated. She cast her mind out as she'd been learning to do recently and felt tentatively around the boat for the person she was seeking. First she encountered the minds of the two elves who were escorting them, and she could tell that they noticed her fumbling presence. Then she found the one she was looking for. _Can I talk to you?_ she projected towards him, recognizing that he had put up barriers at the first touch of her mind. After a moment, 

_Yes._

She only had to wait a minute before the one she sought joined her abovedeck. Dí observed him as he neared her, still as fascinated (though she'd never admit it) with his differences as she was the day they'd met.

Walking towards her was a young elf, slight of stature and with the same regal bearing as every other elf she'd met. (So far, that number was three.) His flaxen hair swung as he ducked under ropes, free of its usual braids, and he wore a simple green tunic and trousers. He tended to go barefoot everywhere, and Dí was beginning to doubt he even owned a pair of boots.

"What may I help you with?" he asked. The musical nature of his voice and his lilting accent were understandable now, but she'd had a hard time with it during the first few weeks of their journey.

Dí gestured to herself exaggeratedly, and squeezed her wet hair so it dripped onto the deck for emphasis. "This is your hatchling's doing," she said with a scowl.

"Ah." He paused, and his blue gaze unfocused momentarily while he talked to the young dragon in question. Then, "Well, you'll not hear it from him, but I apologize."

"Hmph." She crossed her arms and turned back to the prow, watching the water part on either side of her as they cut through the waves. It was soothing to observe, perhaps the only balm on an otherwise confusing and stressful journey so far.

There was a long silence, but Dí could sense that the elf hadn't moved. 

"Yaela says we will reach our destination any minute now."

"Does she now," Dí grunted. She carefully kept her tone and expression disinterested, but secretly she felt a thrill of excitement at that thought. She was sick and tired of being stuck on a boat.

"I'm sure you're tired of being stuck on the water."

The dwarf turned her head to glare at him. "Are you listening to my thoughts, Lelan?"

Lelan held up his hands defensively. "No."

"Good," she snapped. "I don't need nosy elves poking around in mine head."

She could tell he was irritated, and secretly reveled in it. Their elven escorts were centuries old, and were as unflappable as stone, but she'd been told that Lelan was considered quite young. He'd seen only two decades, which would make him mature by human standards, but was apparently barely past childhood for elves. _Which makes him no older or wiser than I am,_ she thought smugly.

Dí felt a wash of amusement from Beroan through their bond when he overheard that thought. _You're right, but remind me again how many years you've seen?_

_More than you, you overgrown lizard._

A long silence ensued, and Dí noticed that the cursed elf was still standing behind her. "Am I being monitored, or do you insist on staring at the back of my head for pleasure?"

"Neither. I am simply thinking."

_I will not humor him on this,_ she insisted to her dragon.

Beroan gave the mental equivalent of a shrug. _Whatever you say. But you could make more of an effort to be friends with him._

_And why would I want to be friends with a prickly elf?_

_Because you two are meant to be friends. Because in a few short days, you will be stuck on an island with no one but that prickly elf, an Urgal, and Eragon Shadeslayer._

_And a dozen other elves._

_Yes, but you will spend years training with him._ A pause. _Well, do what you will, but I like Ingolfr and I have decided to be his friend._

Dí scowled. _... Very well. I'll stop snapping at him. But you tell Ingolfr to quit involving me when he decides to take a bath._

_I will try._

Resigned, the dwarf turned herself around to face Lelan, to find that he was patiently perched on a beam.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked.

Lelan smiled. "For you to call me Lee, and not Lelan, as my friends do."

"When did you get it into your head that I am your friend?"

"Perhaps I'm simply optimistic."

She rolled her eyes. "Hmph. That I believe."

He searched her gaze. "I'm nervous too, you know."

_Dí, take this moment to remember what you promised me not thirty seconds ago and try not to snap,_ Beroan told her sharply. He had sensed the words 'I'm not nervous, unlike you sensitive elves' on the tip of her tongue. She cursed him silently but took a breath and reconsidered her words.

"I... am simply cautious."

Lelan barked out a laugh that was so full of joy it startled her. "Caution is wise! We are embarking on a journey none have ever taken."

Dí raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Not quite. One has already beat us to our destination, two years ago if I remember correctly."

The elf nodded and sighed. "Aye, we have one peer awaiting our arrival. But you are the first _dvergar_ Rider in the history of Alagaësia. You are a pioneer."

"What does that make you? Excess weight on our journey?"

Another laugh. A smile tugged at Dí's lips - something about the way Lelan felt things so much more ferociously than his kin was infectious. Sometimes she thought she could almost see a glow about him, light that shone from underneath his skin. She had asked Yaela about it once and had been told that elven children were full of more intense magic than adults. 

"Well, I shall tell Shadeslayer upon our arrival that he has no need of yet another elven Rider!" he crowed. "Ingolfr and I shall take to the sky and remove from your journey our excess weight." He cocked his head to the side, clearly listening to a witty retort from his dragon, for he laughed at nothing. She retorted,

"Now then, you wouldn't leave me all on mine lonesome with naught but an Urgal and stuffy old elves for company."

"And Eragon Shadeslayer."

"Aye, and the Kingkiller himself."

Lelan appraised her with a twinkle in his eye. "I suppose you're right. However, I for one am quite excited to meet the first Urgal Rider. I have heard she is ferocious."

"Mm."

"It is curious, is it not? The first dwarf and the first Urgal, both female Riders."

Dí paused. "I had not thought about it that much." She looked at him. "Have you thought about the fact that you are the first male Rider of our generation?"

He frowned. "How do you mean?"

"Eragon is a full Rider, though he's barely a decade older than you. That makes him a different generation. Besides, the last three eggs have hatched for females all. Fírnen, then Verea, now Beroan." She winked. "Are you sure Ingolfr chose the right Rider?"

He feigned hurt, clasping a hand to his chest. "You wound me, my lady. Ingolfr?" 

_Now that I think about it, perhaps I should have hatched for your older sister._ Ingolfr projected his thoughts to all of them, laughter dancing in his mind.

"Ai!" Lelan cried. 

Dí doubled over laughing, not even pausing when Beroan smugly asked her to admit he was right in insisting they could be friends. _I never said we couldn't be friends,_ she begrudgingly told him.

_Mm._

All of a sudden, Yaela and their other escort Caladh joined them on deck. The former bounded over to them, more excited than Dí had ever seen her. "We are close!" she announced.

Lelan's grin was so wide his face looked to be splitting in half, whereas Dí just felt somewhat queasy. 

"How do you know?" the young _knurla_ asked.

Her dragon answered the question for her. Beroan tucked his wings in and dived for the ship, and now she could see in their full glory his glittering scales, the color of sand. Against the cloudy backdrop, the rusty orange undertone of his hide was all the more vibrant, while his wings were the same pale yellow as the sun when light shone through them. He let out a long, trumpeting sound and pulled up just before the water, shooting forward across the waves to alight upon the railing. _Look up!_ he crowed. _Look to the east!_

Dí looked up and to the east, but cursed that her eyes were so inferior to the elves', for they had begun to cry out at something she could not see. Beroan sensed her frustration and shared what he had spotted.

Approaching quickly from the northeastern horizon was a speck that dived out of the clouds, and materialized as it came closer into the form of a yearling dragon, twice the size of their boat. Her scales were an inky blue-black, the color of the night sky, and as she grew close enough they could see veins of silver accents throughout her body. And astride her back was a small figure that, as they drew closer, was unmistakeable. The creature was lean and tall, with strong shoulders and greyish skin. From her head they could see two small protrusions: her horns.

Yaela greeted the Rider with her thoughts, then turned to her two awestruck charges. "Lord Lelan, Lady Dí, you are about to meet your sole classmate: that is Nesnes of the Urgals, astride her partner Verea."

_Verea is much bigger than you,_ Dí thought to Beroan.

He snorted. _Give me a year or two, I'll outstrip her yet._

Lelan simply gazed upwards with a faint smile. After a moment, Dí asked him what was going on in his 'flighty elvish mind'.

"Ah, nothing of importance," he said lightly. "And you, my lady?"

"I'm thinking about how quickly I shall tire of people calling me a lady."

"Ah. Dí, then?"

"Perfect."

Yaela relayed to them that Nesnes would escort them the last few leagues from the air, and that Eragon and Saphira would greet them at the base of Argetfell, for they'd warded the crater so completely that they needed to be escorted in. 

Somehow Dí and Lelan ended up leaning against the same railing, their hatchlings balancing on either side of them, eyes trained on the horizon for a glimpse of legendary blue scales.

"Lee?"

He stifled a grin. "Yes?"

"Alright, you bastard, I'm nervous."

"Aha. I thought as much." 

They waited in companionable silence the rest of the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure there's some sort of year system, but I can't be bothered to go back and find it in the books. Basically we'll call this 8 AG (after galbatorix). Eragon settled a hundred leagues beyond the edge of the map, in the mountain range where the Edda River originates. They found a long-since-erupted volcanic crater with a lake and an island in the middle (basically think Crater Lake in Oregon, look it up for ref pics) and with the dozen elves they took with them, built a small town? I guess? on the island. The mountain is called Argetfell (silver mountain) and they named the stronghold Esterna. (good fortune) 
> 
> Here are the Riders so far, and the dragons that have hatched for them:
> 
> Nesnes of the Urgals, in her late teens. Her dragon is Verea, a female with midnight-blue scales and a silver underbelly. They've been living with Eragon and training for two years already.
> 
> Dí of the dwarves, at a "preteen" age basically. Her dragon is Beroan, a male with sandy, burnt orange scales. His egg hatched about a month ago.
> 
> Lelan of the elves, late adolescent.* His dragon is Ingolfr, a male with pale blue scales, like glacier ice. His egg hatched only a week after Beroan's, and they joined Dí as she traveled to Argetfell.
> 
> *look, paolini never really explains what the deal with children of the elves is... like they glow and they're weird. so i'm saying that when they start to mature past "teens", the glow fades and the ethereal-ness turns into typical adolescence. so they're a little more emotional than adult elves and maybe still a little glowy.


	2. Eragon & Ingolfr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eragon and Saphira greet the newest Riders of Alagaësia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I've had this written for a while and I've been getting a couple comments recently on this work, so on the off chance any of you are subscribed, here is a little treat! Again, this work is tentatively marked completed, as after this I only have a few random drabbles and no full-fledged chapters. 
> 
> That means, however, there's a lot of room for where this could go! If any of you care enough to suggest something you'd like to see, please let me know in the comments and if it inspires me I might just write it! I totally wasn't expecting any attention for this work at all, and it warms my heart that there's a little fandom out there still invested in Alagaësia. :)

Eragon sat at the edge of the crater and watched the white ship sail up the river. It was still a good couple leagues away, so he waited patiently for it to come closer. He wouldn't greet the party just yet.

_Verea keeps swinging her tail too wide when she banks. Do you see that?_

The Rider refocused his attention to the dragon currently circling above the approaching vessel. Her black-blue scales stood out against the bright clouds, and she looked to be busy practicing some advanced maneuvers. As she finished a corkscrew and straightened her wings to level out, she wobbled when her tail swung too far outside the turn.

 _I see it. She's not usually so sloppy_.

 _She's showing off_. 

Eragon smirked. _We all know you're above that, though_.

A deep growl shook the stone he was sitting on. _Careful, little one_. 

_Yes, Saphira_.

He stood and stretched. With a sigh, he turned to regard the mountain they'd called home for the last six years. The crater of Argetfell was easily a league across, and in the center of the vast lake was an island large enough to hold his childhood home of Carvahall three times over. They hadn't built over all of it yet, only about a third, and that was taken up with the buildings they'd urgently needed. Together with the elven spellcasters, Eragon and Saphira had designed and created an impressive hall with spacious rooms for its inhabitants, and more than one of the buildings had flat roofs with overhangs to accomodate large scaly guests. There were other nooks along the crater's edge, large caves that were suited for multiple dragons.

Or in case a dragon was a bit picky about how much room she had to stretch out.

Eragon peered over the edge, trying to catch a glimpse of Saphira within the cave he knew she was resting in. _They're getting closer. Shall we greet them?_

 _Mm. Perhaps. My poor students need a proper example of how to fly like a dragon_.

 _Four new students. That makes three Rider pairs, or six students total for us_. He ran a hand through his hair nervously. _Can we handle six students?_

There was no verbal reply, just an image of Saphira cuffing a sheep over the head, killing it instantly. Then an old memory of Glaedr tail-whipping her for being impertinent. _I think we can handle a couple of hatchlings. Besides, we're not their only teachers_.

 _True_. Eragon peered over the edge once more, and this time Saphira's head greeted him. He snickered when he saw her: it looked as though there was a massive disembodied blue head sticking out of the rock. Still, as soon as her neck snaked out into view, he leaped straight out, feet first. Before he slammed into the saddle at full force, he cried "Letta!" and slowed himself down, alighting gently upon the leather seat. _Let's go_. 

Saphira launched herself from the cave, snapping her wings out as soon as they were free. For a second they fell towards the lake, then she flapped once, a thunderous sound, and they shot towards the open sky. 

\---

Ingolfr stretched his wings, aching to take off from the ship and fly the rest of the way to Argetfell. They were scarcely three leagues away now, and he could smell the fresh-cold-clean scent of snow where it had settled on the crater's edge, ten leagues above them. But partner-of-his-heart-and-mind-Lelan had asked him to stay with the ship. They were supposed to wait until Eragon and Saphira could greet them and fly in with them. Something to do with wards around the crater.

So he watched midnight-young-Verea fly circles above them, twisting into corkscrews and complicated flight patterns. He could already imagine himself performing some of them, instinct giving him an idea of what his wings and tail would have to do to replicate it. Some of them were far more complicated. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, sand-and-sun-Beroan cocking his wings impatiently.

 _It's amazing,_ partner-of-his-heart-and-mind-Lelan thought, his mental voice an awed whisper. _You and I shall fly like that someday_.

Ingolfr shivered, raising the scales along his spine a hair. He felt his wings start to lift at the very idea. 

_I've only ever seen Fírnen in flight before, and that was from very far away,_ the young elf continued.

His ice-blue hatchling flicked his tail. _A dragon in flight is the greatest sight there is. I for one am looking forward to meeting bright-scales-Saphira, she who was the first free dragon in a century_.

Lelan smiled. His eyes flicked to first-dwarrow-rider-Dí, who was also watching the horizon eagerly and trying to mask it with an indifferent expression. Beroan turned to gnawing on the leg of a rabbit he'd caught yesterday, channeling his excitement into a healthy appetite. And their two elven escorts joined them at the prow.

"Yaela-svit-kona, what say you? Do you know how long until Eragon and Saphira come to greet us?" the younger elf asked.

Yaela glanced at him sidelong, a small smile playing at her face. "Not long now. Just listen."

The dwarf and the elf looked at her curiously, but before either of them could ask any questions, they startled at the loudest sound any of them had ever heard.

THUD. 

A distant grumble shook the water, and Beroan and Ingolfr both spread their wings, ready for flight, the former dropping his rabbit leg. 

THUD.

Midnight-young-Verea tilted her wings downward, going into a steep dive. She pulled up just before the ground and alighted next to the ship, which Yaela and Caladh were busy pulling to shore, anchoring it. Now they could see her Rider much more clearly. Nesnes looked young, if Urgal development was similar enough to humans to indicate anything, though Ingolfr would be the first to admit he knew next to nothing about either. Her thick black hair was pulled back into a tight series of braids, coiled around her short horns.

"Welcome to Argetfell!" she shouted, waving from atop her saddle, a wide grin on her face. "You-"

Whatever she said next was drowned out by an immense roar and another sound like thunder clapping. 

_THUD_. 

A massive shape shot up over the edge of the crater, flashing sapphire blue. Her wingspan was wider than the tallest tree in Du Weldenvarden, and her scales glittered in the sun like a thousand stars. As she dived for the ground they could see a myriad of different variations of blue in her hide, as beautiful and ever-changing as the ocean itself. With another skull-rattling roar she spread her wings to slow her descent and slammed into the ground, shaking the waters of the river into waves that rocked the boat.

Then, Ingolfr felt an alien mind rush towards the two Riders and their dragons. It overwhelmed their every defense, though there was no malevolent intention behind it. Very carefully, like a mother cat cleaning her kittens with a barbed but gentle tongue, the mind searched theirs. After a moment, Ingolfr realized that the mind was actually two minds: Saphira and Eragon were so tightly bonded that they were almost indistinguishable from one another. They combed through scattered memories, then withdrew with a whisper of apology.

 _Welcome, Lelan. Welcome, Ingolfr. Welcome, Beroan. Welcome, Dí. Welcome to Argetfell. Welcome to your new home_. Saphira's voice was smooth, and Eragon's was warm and lilting. 

Lelan and Dí were gaping in astonishment, while their two dragons had settled into hunting crouches, tails whipping in excitement. Yaela extended the gangplank and they filed down it one by one, the two hatchlings taking off to glide just above their Riders and then alight on the grass.

Saphira lowered her massive head and turned it so a single blue eye, taller than Lelan, was staring them down. She was still a hundred yards across from them, and Verea bounded forward to crouch beside her masters. Meanwhile, a man jumped down from between Saphira's neck spikes. He strode towards the new Riders, a wide smile on his face, while they just stared in amazement at a man they'd only heard of in legend.

Eragon Shadeslayer was tall and lean, with short-cropped sandy blond hair and striking blue eyes. His features were a strange blend of elven and human, leaning slightly towards elven. He wore no rich cloth, nor elaborate costume, just a simple tunic and breeches, with leather bracers on his arms and a half-chest-plate. Across his hips he wore a braided belt, and hung on its side was a sword and scabbard made of curious blue metal. 

"Hello there," he said warmly. "We've been expecting you for a while."

Ingolfr watched as partner-of-his-heart-and-mind-Lelan bowed first, and first-dwarrow-rider-Dí followed him after a moment. Ingolfr noticed a vague sense of discomfort from the elf but wasn't sure why, until: "Atra esterní ono thelduin, Eragon-ebrithil."

Ah, yes. Formal greetings were an essential part of the ancient language, Ingolfr recalled. As a dragon, he'd had yet to find any instance where he should care enough to use them, save for the singular conversation they'd once had with elven-queen-Arya and wise-forest-green-Fírnen.

And even Eragon Shadeslayer looked taken aback for a moment, though his expression quickly shifted into a rueful grin. "Atra du evarínya ono varda, Lelan-finiarel, Dí-finiarel. My apologies. It has been several years since we have met anyone new and had cause to use the formal greetings."

"I understand," Lelan said eagerly, still in the ancient language. Ingolfr nudged him mentally with an image of Dí, who was glancing between them uncomfortably, and the young elf continued in the human tongue: "It is an honor to finally meet you, Eragon-ebrithil."

"You as well, Lelan-finiarel." Eragon also used the human tongue. Behind him, Saphira hummed in agreement, a sound that made the very earth beneath them vibrate.

Dí stepped forward, hesitant. "It is an honor for me as well, Lord Eragon. I'm afraid I know none of the proper words in thine elvish tongue to express that."

The older Rider inclined his head to her. "There is no need to worry yourself over it. It is something you'll learn in time, I have no unrealistic expectations for you to come with the knowledge of a language you never learned." He smiled. "Nesnes had as much trouble with a new language at first, but she caught on quickly. I have faith in you, that you shall do the same. Speaking of..." He turned to the hesitant Urgal still waiting atop her dragon, and waved her towards them.

Dismounting quickly, Nesnes walked quickly to stand next to her master. She smiled hesitantly at her new classmates, and inclined her head. They returned the gesture. When she spoke, her voice was rough and low but friendly.

"Hello, Lelan and Dí, Beroan and Ingolfr. Verea and I are excited to train with you." 

Another mind brushed theirs, but far more gently. The voice was surprisingly musical, and much huskier than Saphira's smooth tone. _And to fly with you_.

"And thank you, Yaela and Caladh, for your unwavering dedication. As usual." Eragon exchanged a few more words with the two elven spellcasters, moving closer to them and accepting a piece of parchment from Yaela. He began to address Lelan and Dí more privately, which Ingolfr paid no mind to, for his attention was solely fixed upon the bright-scales-Saphira.

Beroan spoke first, both to Ingolfr and to the two female dragons before them. _We are honored to meet you, bright-scales-Saphira. And you, Verea, first of our generation._ The midnight-silver-female looked pleased, but remained quiet.

 _We look forward to sharing the skies with you, sand-and-sky-hatchlings_. Saphira's presence was cool and rushing like water.

Ingolfr flicked his tail excitedly. His scales itched at the thought of sharing the skies with bright-scales-Saphira. He could tell that Beroan was equally as restless. But for now... _Saphira-ebrithil, we were told we had to fly into Esterna with you, to get past the wards on the crater. But Beroan and I are not yet large enough to carry our Riders_.

Saphira hummed again. _You are right. You will fly in on your wings, while your Riders will ride in my claws._ Sensing a bit of apprehension from the two younger dragons, she sent them her vague sense of amusement. _Fear not, they'll be in no danger. I'll not let them fall_. 

Ingolfr looked Beroan in his burnt-orange eyes. The sun-sand-youngling looked to have the same apprehension as him when it came to letting their Riders dangle from another's claws, but they both trusted bright-scales-Saphira. The sky-blue hatchling flicked his tail and dipped his head to their master. 

_Are we flying in now?_

_In a moment._ Saphira turned to regard her Rider, who nodded at her. Then they both switched their gaze to their new pupils, and with one voice, asked: 

_“Lelan, Dí. Tell us how you will enter the crater.”_

The elf and the dwarf startled. They'd been having their own conversation with Eragon, Yaela, and Caladh while Saphira spoke to the hatchlings. "On your back?" Dí ventured.

_“Ingolfr, Beroan. Where will we go first upon entering the crater?”_

The hatchlings shifted uncomfortably. Beroan tried at an answer. _To see where we'll be sleeping?_

 _No, and no._ Saphira spoke alone in a severe tone. _This is one of the first lessons our masters ever taught us, and it has served us well. You are Rider and dragon, but you have not even begun to master your bond_.

"You listen to one another's thoughts, but that is not a true bond of Rider and dragon." Eragon met each of their eyes in turn. "When we begin your training, we are teaching you as Shur'tugal, not as individuals and the dragons they ride. You learn everything together. What Ingolfr masters in the sky with Saphira, you must be able to describe, Lelan. When Dí studies the ancient language, you must be able to speak it just as fluently, Beroan." 

The four young students looked at one another solemnly, and spoke together. _"We understand, Masters."_ There was a long silence, while they pondered their words. Ingolfr touched his partner-of-his-heart-and-mind's consciousness gently, and he and Lelan both took a moment to familiarize themselves with one another's senses, what they saw and felt. It took a great deal of concentration, to Ingolfr's surprise. His eyes flicked back to Eragon, who watched the young Riders with a knowing smile.

"We are ready," Lelan said.

 _Good. Now: Lelan and Dí, you may climb into my talons, and I shall carry you into the crater_.

Dí choked. "Excuse me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE RIDERS  
> Eragon (human, ♂) & Saphira (♀) ; azure blue
> 
> Nesnes (urgal, ♀) & Verea (♀) ; midnight blue and silver  
> \- hatched 2 years before  
> Dí (dwarf, ♀) & Beroan (♂) ; sand, burnt orange, and yellow  
> Lelan (elf, ♂) & Ingolfr (♂) ; glacier white and blue
> 
> THE ELVES  
> Blödhgarm, Yaela, Caladh, & six others (TBN)
> 
> ...
> 
> Eragon, Saphira, & the elves left Alagaësia seven years ago. They wandered up the Edda river, past a lake they named Hvitr for the white flowers that blanketed its shores. They find a massive mountain range that Eragon dubs "Du Fells Varden" in honor of the Varden. Near the middle of their second year of travel, they discover a mountain crater with a lake and an island within, and begin to settle there. Eragon names the mountain crater "Argetfell" and the island "Esterna". They brought with half of the Eldunarí and all of the eggs, save the two that travel Alagaësia at all times. (At the time that Dí and Lelan reach Argetfell, there are none traveling, but Yaela and her companion will go back as soon as they are delivered to Eragon and Saphira to bring two more.)


	3. Nesnes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> {Whoops!!!! Posted this a little prematurely when I meant to save it as a draft. So sorry for the double notification!}  
> \--
> 
> Nesnes and Verea contemplate their new, and only, peers.

One harrowing ride in Saphira's claws later, for the two youngest Riders at least, they descended into the crater of Argetfell and landed on the shores of the island of Esterna. Nesnes followed them with Yaela and Caladh in Verea's claws. Their elven charges, at least, looked decidedly less green than the young Riders when they were set down.

The Urgal Rider snickered at the awed look on the dwarf and the elf's faces. _We looked much the same the first time we were shown the beauty of Argetfell, did we not?_

 _Hmph. You might have. I reacted with calm appreciation_. Verea lowered her head and picked a clod of grass from between her talons.

Nesnes stifled her laugh. _That was a good impression_.

Her dragon turned so one of her massive silver eyes was looking straight at her Rider. It blinked with a soft _snick_. Then a deep rumble shook her body and they both had to fight to control their laughter - Eragon and Saphira were busy giving their new classmates a visual tour. _Hath I impressed thee with my eloquence?_

 _Shut up. We have to be quiet_.

 _After all, as our great and wise master has oft impressed upon us, language is but the tool you use to shape your thoughts, and to use coarse language is beneath the wisdom and complexity of a dragon_.

Nesnes could feel her eye twitching with the strain of keeping her laughter in. _Shove it, Verea_.

 _Fine. Uluthrek's bloody balls, speaking like that is exhausting. How does Saphira do it?_

Every so often the young Ugralgra was floored by the ridiculousness of her situation. She was a Dragon Rider as well as an Urgal, the first of her race to be honored with such a bond. Every tale that existed of the dragons told of a mighty race, who lived for centuries and knew all there was to know of the world, though her people had more healthy fear of them than most. They had sounded like all-knowing beings of infinite wisdom.

Of course it would be her luck that the dragon who chose her was an odd egg. Oh, Verea was just as cunning and intelligent as any other dragon, but she was the daughter of two wild dragons. While they had given her egg to the Riders so that she would be bonded someday, her blood was thick with the aggression of her wild ancestors. Saphira was a fearsome creature but she'd chosen a human Rider and was sired by a bonded dragon. For whatever reason, Verea had known even in her egg that she wanted a bond with someone far from tame.

Nesnes was the niece of Nar Garzhvog, the greatest Kull of his generation, he who won the Varden's trust - as well as the trust of Eragon Firesword - and he who had led all the Ugralgra to victory against their sworn enemy. She was no Kull, but she was the fiercest of her clan's children, even though she was female. The second she touched Verea's egg, the hatchling within knew this was the partner-of-her-heart-and-mind. 

And for all that the ancient language was an uphill battle for Nesnes to learn, she had mastered the human tongue at an early age, partially from her uncle and then later from human traders who were the first to begin to trade with the Urgal clans. 

From her uncle she had learned the formal human tongue, that is. From the traders she had learned how creative and filthy their language could be, especially when it came to expressing anger and frustration.

Nesnes didn't consider herself a bad influence per say, but she knew Verea's... colorful vocabulary was her own doing. Of course, they kept themselves from using it around their masters, but very early on Saphira had noticed how Verea had less care with her words than any other dragon she'd ever met. It irked the other female that a member of her "proud race" could be so careless with her language.

So, one of the first lessons they'd learned was keeping their thoughts shielded behind iron walls. Even Eragon and Saphira had been impressed with how quickly they'd picked up shielding their thoughts. It was a skill that had come quickly to two naturally guarded invidiuals.

_What do you think of the new Riders?_

Nesnes considered that. _Dí is the first_ dvergar _to be a Rider. She and I have that unique trait in common. I bet there are more than a few individuals in the world that are bitter about us both being females as well_.

Verea's mouth twisted in a snarl, but she stayed silent. _Let them resent it all they want. Beroan and I did not choose our partners-of-heart-and-mind lightly_. 

Her Rider smiled. She ran a single grey-skinned hand over the midnight-blue scales on Verea's neck. _I'm touched_. 

_Nesnes, Verea_. Saphira's cool voice brushed their minds. _Please inform the others that our guests will be joining them in the hall shortly_. 

_Yes, Master_ , they answered in unison. Nesnes mounted Verea and they took off with a bounding leap. It didn't escape their notice that their new classmates startled at this sudden takeoff, or that they were often oblivious to the way those around them used their minds.

 _The elfling is good at guarding himself,_ Verea noted. _No doubt his brethren taught him well. And the dwarf has a bit of skill as well. But a lot escapes their notice_.

They circled once above the newcomers. As they climbed to be level with the lip of the crater, Nesnes looked down and smiled at what she saw. Saphira was so large that compared to her glittering blue bulk, the others were like ants. 

_To be honest, I'm excited that we're no longer the only students. At the very least we're not the youngest dragon and Rider anymore_. 

Verea hummed, and the sound vibrated through Nesnes' body as they descended again towards the island and the hall where the other elves that lived with them would be. 

Nesnes added, _Not to mention... it will be nice to have other dragons around_.

Her dragon didn't reply, but her glow of contentment was answer enough.

They alighted upon the broad roof of the main hall, where the elven spellcaster's quarters were, and where the inhabitants of the island often dined together. There was a lengthy overhang that shaded Verea quite well when she curled underneath it. It was just large enough to accomodate Saphira... which meant it was, by necessity, the most massive and ongoing construction project they had. 

Nesnes felt her dragon's amusement drifting faintly through their bond, and questioned it.

 _Oh, nothing,_ she said. _But... Do you remember our first week, when Eragon and the elves had finished only the first floor of this hall, and Saphira was angry with him for a reason she cared not to share with us?_

Even as Nesnes started down the stairs that descended from the roof and Verea disappeared from sight, she felt a large grin overtaking her face. _And she decided to test the building's foundations, and broke through the roof and nearly killed the both of us?_

The Urgal saw the ceiling tremble a little with Verea's rumbling laugh as she emerged onto the second floor. The elves were most likely waiting in the dining hall, preparing for their new arrivals.

_That was the only time I have ever heard Brightscales swear._

_It was a quite colorful exclamation, I recall._ Nesnes hurried down another flight of stairs, all of a sudden eager to tell the elves the news. "Blödhgarm!" she cried happily as she entered the hall, for he was the only one she saw, and admittedly one of her favorite companions.

The dark-furred elf's unique features stretched into his usual grimace of a smile. "Young Shur'tugal. How do you find the new Riders?"

"They are interesting, all right." Nesnes grinned at him. She felt the presence of nine other elves throughout the building, busy preparing food or otherwise readying themselves for guests. Nay, not guests - neighbors! Students! Her smile grew even wider, and she whooped: "Let us hope they have a great many stories to tell, for I've just about heard all of yours!"

Being an Ugralgra, she was not as solemn as the rest of the islanders, and had often felt in her first year of training that the elves looked down upon her faintly for being so expressive. As time wore on, and after she'd shared this feeling with Blödhgarm during a particularly emotional conversation, he had revealed that the elves cherished her carelessness. She reminded them of the few elven children they had, apparently. 

(Nesnes had also long suspected that her love of shouting and raising her voice when she was either angry or elated _had_ disturbed the elves at first, until Verea had explained to them at length that the ferocity of her Rider was the reason she'd hatched for her in the first place. If the elves appreciated Nesnes' view of things because she was a Rider, they absolutely worshipped a dragon's views on any subject.)

It was another reason that the young Ugralgra had always liked Blödhgarm. The elf was easily the quickest to laugh of all his brethren, and once she'd even gotten him to teach her a bawdy song in Dwarvish. Some of the other elves had been appalled. Eragon had laughed for half an hour.

"Well, we are certainly excited to be meeting them," said Blödhgarm. 

_The hatchlings are landing now,_ Verea told Nesnes, and she relayed this to the elves, several of which had just arrived in the hall. 

Eragon came in first, presumably having walked the whole way from the shore, introducing his new students to the motley collection of half-finished structures that was young Esterna. Lelan and Dí looked awestruck all the same. The young elf's face lit up to see other members of his race and he greeted them in the ancient language, which they responded to joyfully. To their credit, they greeted the dwarf with equal excitement.

"Well met again," Dí said to Nesnes, trying to mask how awkward she likely felt to be the sudden center of attention.

Nesnes smiled at her, feeling suddenly, uncharacteristically nervous. She'd had precious little experience with dwarves, and had never met a female or a child. "You as well."

Eragon caught her eye. He was beaming ear-to-ear as she'd never seen him before. "How did they find the tour, Master?" she asked.

"Well enough, I suppose. I think I'm a rather terrible guide. I built most of these halls and I cannot remember what half of them are for." He smiled ruefully at his student, then made his way over to Blödhgarm and Yaela before calling them all together.

"Residents of Esterna!" His voice was full of pride. "Including our newest additions. We will fill our bellies soon enough, but I beg for a minute of your time so I might make a more complete introduction." Then he started to give Lelan and Dí each of the elves' names, letting them share a word or two of welcome for the young Riders. At one point Nesnes noticed that Saphira's massive blue eye was peering in through the front doors of the hall.

 _I think she's watching me,_ the Ugralgra told her dragon. _I'm standing here grinning like an idiot and trying too hard to look normal in front of our new classmates._

Verea, because she was the most vexing, infuriating creature on the planet, elected to be the opposite of helpful. She started to sing the bawdy dwarvish tavern song Blödhgarm had taught them. Nesnes barked a quiet laugh, instantly shutting her mouth tightly when Eragon shot her a confused glance. If only Saphira could hear...

_It's all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog, all for me ale and tobacco... Well I spent all me dough on the lassies don't you know, far across the mountains I must wander..._

_Verea, I will kill you,_ she seethed in their shared mind.

Her dragon just laughed and launched into the next verse. _Oh! Where are me boots, me noggin, noggin boots..._

\----

As he finished introducing the elven spellcasters to Lelan and Dí, Eragon felt a curious thought from Saphira.

_Does Nesnes look all right to you?_

He frowned, and flicked his gaze briefly to his oldest student. Her grey skin was unusually flushed, and while she had a genuine enough smile on her face, her eyes looked rather pained. 

_I do hope she's not sick._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took some rather massive creative liberties with a sea shanty I found on the internet. You can hear the tune here, but I botched the number of syllables a little.  
> http://brethrencoast.com/shanty/All_for_me_grog.html
> 
> And yeah, I decided that seeing as the only examples of a dragon's mind we've ever had were Glaedr and Saphira, two pretty solemn individuals (well, most of the time), I took some liberties with Verea's personality as well. I like to think that some dragons delight in being a little more... creative with how they express themselves. Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Lelan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three young Riders start to forge a tentative bond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ --
> 
> This is an edit I'm adding after posting the chapter, but I'm hoping there are a fair number of people subscribed who don't read the updates the minute you get them, so you might see this :') 
> 
> I've been diving headfirst back into this little universe I created on a whim this summer, and while I'm loving the opportunity to worldbuild to my heart's content, I'm a little unsure as to how much my readers are actually interested in. At the moment I have an (embarrassing) enormous amount of notes with lists of dragon names, future Riders, and even some of the elves that live in Esterna. I've drawn myself a map of the lands beyond Alagaësia that I obviously completely made up, to reference for this story.
> 
> So my question is this: how much would you all like to know? This chapter is a little exposition-heavy towards the end, as I try to work in some of my headcanons for the universe while still furthering the plot of a story. At the moment, what few chapters I've prewritten are also fairly heavy on exposition, with many of the characters being given paragraphs of introspection about aspects of their pasts that help explain the universe.
> 
> It's not exactly Paolini's style of writing and I probably wouldn't even call it good writing, but it explains a lot about how Eragon and Saphira have been spending their time since the end of Inheritance.
> 
> All that being said - and if I've still got anyone's attention, I thank you - I could understand not wanting to read my walls of text about wild dragon development and the architecture of Esterna, haha. I could probably streamline a lot of the chapters I have and focus it more on the characters and the plot of the story.
> 
> If you have an opinion either way, PLEASE comment down below and let me know what you'd like to see! I'm happy to continue giving you thousands and thousands of words on all the minutiae of my worldbuilding, but I'm also happy to focus on the plot if that's what y'all want to read.
> 
> Thank you, and enjoy the chapter!

"And these are your quarters."

Lelan and Dí followed Eragon into a small parlour on the upper floor of the hall across from where they’d dined. Several rooms all opened into the common area, which was sparsely furnished with only a couple of chairs and a fireplace. One of the doors had a large line of runes carved onto it, while the others were blank.

"And that is Nesnes’?" Lelan asked, gesturing to the door with the carving.

Eragon nodded. "Yes. We designed these halls so that four Riders at a time would share a wing. Of course, at present we have only three, so you share the North Wing with only Nesnes. When the next egg hatches and the next Rider joins us, he or she will take the fourth room here, and after that, we will hopefully have finished building the South Wing."

Dí appraised the runes. "Is that how you spell Nesnes in the ancient language?"

"That is the human tongue, actually." Lelan answered before Eragon could, and he immediately flushed. "Ah- apologies, Master."

"No need to apologize. You’re correct - the ancient language has its own rune style, the Liduen Kvaedhí." Eragon looked between the elf and the dwarf with a steady gaze. "Names have power, and it is better to be cautious with how you use yours." He paused for a moment, and smiled ruefully. "But mostly it was because Nesnes had not yet learned how to write the Liduen Kvaedhí and carved this out of excitement on her second night here."

Lelan grinned. "May we mark it how we like, then?"

"I suppose," Eragon replied, arching an eyebrow. "Well, you may choose any two rooms of the remaining three that you like. The elves will bring your belongings from the ship up shortly. After that, you may spend the rest of the afternoon familiarizing yourself with Esterna, or you may spend it with your dragons, but at sunset we will expect you in the main hall to dine." He turned to leave, but pivoted back and gave them a soft smile. "I look forward to the many years ahead of us, Lelan-finiarel, Dí-finiarel."

"Master," they both responded with a bow. 

As soon as the door to the common room shut behind them, Dí turned to scowl at the young elf beside her. "What was all that nonsense about carving runes in your door?"

"My mother taught me to carve wood when I was a child. I would very much like to etch a likeness of the shoreline of Lake Ardwen as I saw it from my bedroom window, as my tribute to my home." Lelan could see it in his mind’s eye - the shape of the lake, shadowed by soft trees, and he could carve a likeness as best he could of his own home tree in the foreground!

"It’s a bloody door," she scoffed. "Not the Star Sapphire of Farthen Dûr."

He pouted. "They will be my quarters for many years. Do you not wish to leave your own mark?"

"Oh, for Gûntera’s-" the dwarf cut herself off with a huff. With a sharp movement, she yanked the small knife on her belt from its sheath, strode over to the door opposite Nesnes’, and with a few short movements carved some blocky runes into the wood above her eyeline.

"Is that dwarvish?" Lelan asked curiously.

She grunted. "Aye. It says 'Dí, Beroansrider.'" Her gaze flicked briefly to him. "I thought I would include my title, seeing as I’ve never had a proper one before."

Lelan was silent as he contemplated that. "I’ve never had a title either. Ingolfrsrider." He smiled faintly. He sat on the floor with his legs crossed, not feeling overly compelled to choose a room yet, and simply gazed around him at the elegant simplicity of the common room. He liked the design. It would be a nice place to sit and be with one another, after training, eating small meals. He could almost see it in his mind’s eye… Dí by the fire, gently ribbing him for something stupid he’d done. Nesnes laughing at a joke. A shadowy fourth figure he could not see…

"Ingolfr is a curious name. Might I ask why you chose it?"

The elf shrugged. "I believe it belonged to an ancient dragon, one of the first to choose a rider after the original Eragon forged his pact with them. I had little idea of how to name a dragon. I just… made a few up, I suppose, sprinkled in the few historical names my tutors managed to get me to remember."

 _You were full of lousy options, as I recall._ Ingolfr’s consciousness pressed gently against his own. There were currents of amusement in his thoughts, even as he poked fun at his Rider. _Did you not suggest to name me Ardwen, after the lake?_

Lelan replied out loud without realizing, his tone indignant. "I was not sure that you were male, at first!"

Dí grinned. "I made the same mistake! I tried to name Beroan the minute he’d hatched - mind you, I was laid out on mine back in the middle of Orthíad’s main square, hundreds of mine kinsmen surrounding me. You remember that awful cold rush of energy that knocked you out as you touched your dragon for the first time?"

He smiled wistfully. "I remember."

"Well, I came to, and there was this orange, scaly… _creature_ sat on my chest. I figured out what had happened - and I’m still so dazed, mind you, I’ve barely processed the idea of having a dragon at all, and all I could think was that I had taken in a stray cat the week before and it had taken me _days_ to decide on a name for that scrap of fur. My thoughts were so scattered that I did not notice the elves trying to help me up, nor the dozens of dwarves that were whooping and hollering. I felt like a damn fool, but - and I barely remember this - I was so groggy that all I could think was to exclaim, 'I can’t name _you_ Smokey as well!'"

At that point, both she and Lelan were both cackling. The young elf was almost taken aback by how quick he’d been to laugh recently. He was accustomed to being the youngest, most light-hearted creature in a forest full of ancient beings. He’d never even seen a dwarf until the day he’d climbed aboard a boat bound for the lands beyond Alagaësia with a hound-sized dragon hatchling at his side.

Seeing as his only friends before than had been an older sister who had almost a century on him and a handful of woodland creatures, Lelan wasn’t really sure what to do with himself now that he had a true… friend. One that was a dwarf, no less.

"At least you did not name him Sand, or Desert."

Dí made a face. "I was not even aware that you _could_ name dragons after… things."

Lelan shrugged. "There is Thorn, is there not?"

That thought gave them both pause. They didn’t know much about Murtagh and Thorn, the wandering Rider and dragon who hadn’t been seen since the end of the war. Supposedly, the two of them had gone north, to explore lands far beyond Du Weldenvarden’s borders. There were rumors that they had even visited Eragon and Saphira in the new stronghold of the Riders… Argetfell.

Lelan didn’t believe those rumors overmuch. It seemed to him that former pawns of Galbatorix would be kept far away from infant dragons and Riders-in-training.

 _I wonder how many Riderless dragons have already hatched._ Ingolfr’s thought was barely a whisper in the back of his mind, but it made Lelan sit bolt upright as though a pail of icy water had been dropped on his head.

"I never even thought about it!" he exclaimed aloud. When Dí looked at him curiously, he quickly relayed Ingolfr’s question. "Obviously Eragon did not want to publicly announce the details of the dragon eggs that survived the war, but we all knew there were scores of them. I heard that while there might only be a few dozen that are meant for Riders, there could be _hundreds_ of wild eggs. Some of them must have hatched by now!"

Dí’s eyes gleamed. "Wild dragons! It makes sense. I would assume that they would be raised here, initially… Saphira is the only dragon for miles, so they cannot have let them all hatch at once. But she and Eragon and the elves have been here for more than six years now, eh? Plenty of time to rear a score of wild dragons! We must ask them about it, at dinner."

Lelan looked at her askance. "Or we could go now… or, better yet, ask Nesnes. I have been looking forward to being better acquainted with our only peer."

"Why wait?"

The voice took them both somewhat by surprise, and the young elf scrambled to his feet. Lelan felt vaguely irritated with himself - he was usually much more aware of his surroundings, but the whirlwind of events that day had left him feeling somewhat lost. 

Nesnes had just entered the common room, and she offered them both a shy smile. "Well met, yet again."

Lelan dipped his head. "To you as well."

"How much of that did you hear?" asked Dí, getting straight to the point.

The Ugralgra smiled. "Only a bit. I did hear something about wild dragons."

The younger Riders leaned forward eagerly. "So some of them _have_ hatched? Have you seen them?" Lelan barely restrained himself from bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Seen them? I was there when three of them hatched." She gestured to the comfortable armchairs around the empty fireplace, and they sat down.

"Will we be allowed to meet the wild dragons?" Dí generally pretended to be more aloof than her elven companion, but even she was betraying her excitement at the thought.

Nesnes glanced between the two of them, seeming a little unsure of herself. "It depends. The older ones - there are eleven, total - stay away for the most part. The first was hatched while Eragon and Saphira journeyed up the Edda. His name is Veo."

"I thought wild dragons didn’t have names," Lelan interjected.

"Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn’t. I’d venture a guess and say that all wild dragons will have names for a short while, seeing as there’s so few of them and all of them will be hatched here for the first few generations." Nesnes brushed a hand across her horns absentmindedly, collecting her thoughts before continuing. "Veo is quite large, now. His scales are a very pale pink. I’ve only met him once… he tends to keep to himself. Some wild dragons are more solitary than others, you see.

"Then there were two eggs that hatched at the same time, after they found Argetfell, when they were beginning to settle on the island. The former is Maevun, she is honey-yellow; and the latter is Glaedr, and he has nearly golden scales, except they have a greyish undertone - like goldplated armor that has begun to wear away." She nodded when Lelan opened his mouth to comment on the latter's name. "Yes, they named the second after the Old One who taught them during the war. They do look a little similar. Eragon likes to call Maevun and Glaedr 'twins' because they both have golden scales and because they were nest-mates when they were laid, and from what I hear, they continue to hunt together." She smiled faintly. "They visit often. Then there is Famhieng, with scales like charcoal, or dark iron. He was hatched a few months after the twins.

"For all that they have the elves to help them, Eragon and Saphira like to space out the hatchings somewhat, so that they can give each hatchling the attention it needs and so that they are not unleashing scores of newborn dragons upon the surrounding mountains. The older ones have enough independence and time to grow so that they can help and guide the younger ones when they come along."

"An efficient system," Dí pronounced.

"Sort of. Where was I? Oh- after Famhieng, hatched Rowan. She is special - she came from an egg laid by Saphira herself."

Lelan and Dí gaped. "Saphira has laid an egg?!"

"Naturally," Nesnes said, with a grin. "Did you not know how close she and Fírnen were, before they departed Alagaësia? Rowan is a few years old, now, but she doesn’t visit very often." The Urgal leaned forward and continued in a conspirational tone, "Keep this to yourselves as best you can, but… Verea says she feels rather smothered whenever she is here. Saphira, for all her wisdom, scarcely knows what to do with a hatchling of her own, and overcompensates with Rowan."

Dí’s eyebrows lifted. "That makes sense."

"Between you and I, I think Eragon finds it rather amusing." Nesnes’ eyes sparkled with mirth. "Wait until Rowan visits for the first time and you get to see how Saphira hovers while trying to seem indifferent."

Lelan felt the corners of his mouth pulling into a smile as they continued to talk, and the longer the conversation wore on, the more comfortable all three felt with one another. Nesnes in particular appeared to have lost the nervous energy she carried when she first entered the room. And as the hours wore on, the elf found himself taking stock of the situation with an amused air. Here they were: an elf, an Urgal, and a dwarf, sitting around a fire (sort of) and exchanging stories. It could scarcely be believed.

How impossible this must have seemed, he thought, to someone from before the end of the war. Nay, it would have been a foreign concept even to the Riders of old! The addition of dwarves and Urgals to the pact of the Dragon Riders had rocked Alagaësia. Lelan, for one, felt quite content with the situation. 

_See,_ Ingolfr said in his mind, making the mental equivalent of the sound of someone clicking their tongue like a mother hen. It was a particularly odd sensation. _You were so nervous, the whole journey here, fretting over whether you could be friends with a dwarf and an Urgal. And here the three of you sit, bandying like old wives._

_Hush, you._

The sun had nearly completely set before any of them noticed, and when Nesnes yelped in realization, the three of them made a mad dash for the main hall. They were ruddy-cheeked and laughing like children when they spilled into the dining area, trying to compose themselves quickly in front of Eragon. It did not escape Lelan’s notice, though, that Eragon was fighting to keep a massive grin from his face, and how hard it looked for him to greet them calmly and regally. 

If there was one thing the elf was sure of, it was that training under this Master would be nothing like how Riders had trained in the past. All four of them were young, really. They were forging a new path under new and unprecedented circumstances. 

_I can scarcely wait for tomorrow,_ Lelan admitted to Ingolfr.

_Mmh. I can scarcely wait for dinner._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone that cares, I've made lots of little lists of dragons that will be introduced later. You heard a bit about some of the wild dragons that have already hatched, and some of them will feature in later chapters, but here are all eleven that Nesnes references, with a word vaguely describing the color of their scales:
> 
> Veo - blush (♂)  
> Maevun - honey (♀)  
> Glaedr - metals (♂)  
> Famhieng - charcoal (♂)  
> Rowan - olive (♀)  
> Lien - dark rose (♀)  
> Taervies - marigold (♂)  
> Basirm - mulberry (♂)  
> Äviemh - flaxen (♂)  
> Saemnoldtholr - snow (♀)  
> Melmael - fire (♂)


	5. Saphira

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saphira watches the future of the Riders unfold at the dinner table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided how I'm going to organize this story!!! It will come in installments, rather than one whole work like this. I was becoming a little stumped with how to fit the different random scenes I'd written around one another until I sectioned them off in different parts, with each part a separate enough storyline that they would make more sense as separate works that are part of a larger series.
> 
> This work, Beyond, stands alone as the introduction to the universe, and the introduction of the main characters of this story. The next work will pick right back up more or less, with a time jump of about a week, and will probably be a bit longer - we'll explore all the fun stuff that comes with Lelan and Dí beginning their training and learning their way around the island. :)
> 
> You can also expect a standalone work about Eragon and Saphira's journey up the Edda, picking up pretty quickly after the end of Inheritance. It's something I've loved to explore in little tiny scenes that wouldn't make sense as any "flashback" in a main work.
> 
> If you have any suggestions, I am as ever open to them! This series is laughably unfinished and I hope my motivation to work on it will last a good long while.
> 
> Sorry for yet another wall of text at the beginning of a chapter - thank you, and enjoy! :)

Saphira had spent many hours of her new life in the lands beyond Alagaësia marking the stars. It was a favorite pastime of hers, as well as a useful project when it came to being able to navigate the vast stretches of Du Fells Varden. The first few pinpricks of light were just peeking out from behind the veil of the dusk sky when she decided to take a brief flight before their evening meal, to stretch her wings and breathe some fresh air.

She had spent much of the past week within the crater, using her wings only to reach different ends of the island. Eragon had wanted to concentrate on Nesnes and Verea’s training as closely as possible. Of course they had known for the better part of two months that two new Riders and their dragons would be joining them, but as the date of their arrival crept closer, it had seemed more and more real that there really would be triple the amount of students. It had caused Saphira to recall a particular saying of Glaedr’s: that time gushed between their teeth like water, and soon it would all be gone.

Therefore, three days ago, she and Eragon had decided to make the most of their remaining alone time with their first pair of students, and do something they had not often done thus far in their training. For three whole days, Nesnes studied solely with Saphira, and Verea with Eragon. By swapping Riders, as it were, the young Rider and dragon would have an opportunity to learn in a vastly different environment.

Unfortunately for Saphira, that environment involved a lot of lying on the ground, as she now shared only horns with her pupil and not wings. It was worthwhile to spend time with Nesnes, of course, but she did miss the… _freedom_ that came with teaching a fellow creature of the air.

_Dinner is almost ready down here. Will you join us?_

Saphira hummed to herself when she heard the gentle query of her partner-of-her-heart-and-mind. Eragon, she knew from looking through his eyes, was wrist-deep in a bowl of carrot peels, readying a last few vegetables for their guests. She also knew, thanks to his elflike sense of smell (that was still sadly inferior to her own) that there were several roasted birds lying in a rub of spices at the edge of the kitchen.

_Mm… that smells heavenly. I just might, if only to taste Roran’s newest recipe._

_It does smell promising, even to me. I made Roran repeat the blend of spices three times this morning so I could get it right._

The sapphire-scaled dragon sent a wave of her fond delight towards her Rider. It warmed her scales to think of her thoughtful partner-of-heart-and-mind, he who did unfortunately shirk the eating of meat, working away at a whole brace of ducks so that she could have a worthwhile meal. _I do appreciate it, little one. It only pains me to have to share with that trio of upstart whelps that call themselves dragons._

Eragon’s laughter danced in her mind, before he turned back to the task at hand.

Saphira all but folded one wing and let her whole body tip to one side, until the land and the sky took up equal, vertical halves of her vision. She completed a full roll just for the fun of it, and started a steep dive back into the stony embrace of the caldera. As she fell past the wards on the crater she felt the familiar tingle, then snapped her wings out to their full length and pulled up short, a hundred feet above the island.

Movement in the main square caught her eye and she watched with amusement as the figures of Urgal, elf, and dwarf went sprinting from their living quarters into the opposite hall. She nudged this particular observation at Eragon, who tried very gallantly to swallow his laughter and greet his pupils solemnly as they found their places at the long table.

Saphira set herself down with more care than usual, trying not to shake the whole building, if only for fear of Blödhgarm’s wroth should she knock his cooking to the floor. Then she walked slowly around to the side of the building to find three of her kin with their heads stuck through the wall. There were large openings so that the dragons could participate in meals alongside the elves and the Riders, but it did make for a rather ludicrous sight.

For a moment, she regarded them with a toothy smile. Midnight-sky-Verea was on the far end, settled into a comfortable crouch. Glacier-young-Ingolfr and sandy-young-Beroan had stuck not only their heads but their necks through their openings, a feat easy for the significantly smaller hatchlings, and they were all but sprawled on their haunches: the picture of comfort.

 _Stay aware of your backsides, hatchlings,_ she told them, gratified when both of their tails twitched in surprise. _The island may be the safest place in the world, but you never know when someone might try to sneak up on your tails when you have your heads in a hole._

After a moment, she received a sheepish reply from both of the young males. _… Yes, Master._

_We understand._

Saphira grunted. _Good._ Then she settled into a low crouch and pushed her own head through an opening. The smells of the table, heaped with food of every kind (though predominantly vegetable in nature), overwhelmed her senses for a moment. She sought out Eragon first, pleased with how happy he looked at the head of the table, and surveyed the other two-legs as they started to dig in.

The table was long and wide, able to seat fifty around it quite comfortably. Someday they might have to expand, but for the moment only two thirds of the seats were filled. Eragon sat at the head, Nesnes on his right, Dí on his left, and Lelan after the young dwarrow. Next to Nesnes sat Blödhgarm, and Yaela, and Caladh, and Eliamben and Amhödr and all the rest that Saphira cared not to name. All in all there were exactly thirty elves, seven of them from the original team of spellcasters that had accompanied her and Eragon throughout the war. The others were all volunteers from various elven cities who had wished to help in the raising of the young dragons.

As soon as her head had pushed into view, two of the elves sprang up and retrieved Saphira’s dinner for her. Four of the dozen birds that Eragon had so thoughtfully prepared were laid in front of her. She blinked her sapphire eyes at them and pushed her thoughts out gently: _Thank you, Fildr, Lëon._

They both bowed to her with a murmur of "Bjartskular," and resumed their places at the table.

The first two birds Saphira ate in a single snap. The third, she made herself hold in her mouth to savour the flavours. 

_Has Roran succeeded yet again?_ Eragon asked her.

 _Your cousin should have worked at the art of culinary wonders as long as he worked at waging war, and this world would be much better for it,_ she proclaimed.

_Excellent. I’ll pass it on to him._

_How are his hatchlings?_

Eragon met her eyes briefly, looking up from his dinner. _I thought I felt you listening in when I talked to him this morning through the mirror._

_Mm… I was, for a time. I confess I fell asleep just as you were getting to the discussion of spices._

_Aha._ He smirked at her, but one of the students said something that called his attention away, and he answered them out loud before responding to Saphira. _Well, Ismira is not best pleased with the addition of another brother. She met the babe for the first time yesterday — he was not yet ready for visitors until then._

_I am glad to hear that the hatchling is well — but why is Ismira displeased? She likes Liam well enough._

Eragon grimaced, then shook his head and said something to Lelan aloud once more, explaining that he was making the face at Saphira and not at whatever the young elf had just said. _At one point in time Katrina was sure that she was having another girl. Ismira was… disappointed when she didn’t get the sister she asked for._

Saphira huffed, and her breath made the last duck tip onto its side where it still sat before her. She snapped it up as well, once again chewing as slowly as the melting of spring snow, to enjoy the flavour. _Human hatchlings are so curious._

Eragon lifted an eyebrow at the figures next to Saphira. _And dragon hatchlings are not?_

For the first time, she bothered to look at what the three younglings were doing, and was immediately filled with a wave of exasperation.

Verea had her last duck balanced precariously between her front teeth, only the very tips of her fangs sinking into the flesh. Both of the young males had copied her, and the result was a very queer staring contest, wherein all three hatchlings (Verea might be two years old, but she was clearly easily ensared into the games of children) were competing to see who would break and eat their duck first. The sight was ludicrous and not at all becoming of dragons: three hatchlings with their mouths open, prey that had been caught and killed for them simply dangling before their tongues.

Saphira eyed all three of them with no small amount of irritation. Then, quicker than the strike of a viper, she carefully snatched the closest duck — Beroan’s — from his jaws, ignoring his roar of displeasure. She ate it in a single bite, and watched in satisfaction as Ingolfr and Verea quickly gulped theirs down to protect it.

 _If you do not eat your prey first, someone faster will get it._ Saphira made sure everyone in the hall could hear her.

For a moment even the two-legs at the table were silent, and then the air was split with peals of Eragon’s laughter. He was almost crying, pounding the table with one hand, and his three students started to laugh just as ferociously. Even the solemn elves (who had loosened up a bit, in their near-decade on the island) succumbed to mirth.

Beroan still looked stricken. _That was my second duck, Master,_ he said plaintively.

She stared him down impassively. _Next time something tries to steal your prey from you, you bite them first._

_Yes, Bjartskular._

Eragon brushed her mind. _A bit tetchy tonight, are we?_

_It was a competition most unbecoming of dragons._

_Mmm… I seem to remember a few competitions that a blue-scaled dragon of mine once had with some dwarves, regarding who could balance a barrel of mead above their head and drink it too._

Saphira sniffed haughtily. _Well, I was the only dragon, and competing against a two-leg. If it was for the sake of proving the dragons’ superiority in all things…_

_Of course._

Having unfortunately finished her meal, Saphira settled back into a more comfortable position and watched the meal table like a hawk. To be more accurate, she watched the four Riders at one end of the meal table.

Eragon had scarcely ever looked happier, and it sent a warm glow of affection right down to her bones. Her Rider had seen too much pain and suffering over his short life. The war had matured and wisened him over an incredibly short span of time, and she still somewhat lamented the loss of the innocent farmboy he’d once been — though she’d never trade her partner-of-heart-and-mind’s current state of being for anything. When they had started to hatch the wild eggs, she could feel some of that wonder taking root in his heart again. She remembered most fondly the hatching of Rowan, her only egg. If she had been somewhat nervous to call the olive-green hatchling from her egg, Eragon had nearly keeled over when the shell split for the first time. She could have knocked him over with a feather.

A brief pall of longing clouded Saphira’s thoughts as they turned to Rowan. As ever, she felt conflicted when it came to her daughter. The yearling was — well, not even a yearling anymore, but a grown dragon, more than four years of age. She had made a comfortable roost for herself on the westernmost edges of Du Fells Varden, close to the edges of the forest. Saphira had never visited her there, not willing to let Rowan know that she knew where to find her. (She had wrung the location out of poor Melmael upon his last visit.)

Dragons did not typically raise their young beyond the first few, vulnerable months. Saphira knew this. Wild dragons especially rarely, if ever, saw their issue once they’d flown the nest. Dragons bonded with Riders typically had more contact, if only because most bonded dragons that had eggs tended to give them to the Riders to be bonded themselves. Saphira, as always, felt a queer sense of confusion on this topic. She and Eragon had, of course, considered weaving the spell over Rowan’s egg that would destine her to choose a Rider: Eragon in particular had seemed to favor that option, though he had tried very hard not to let his opinion sway her. She was grateful for it, though she still felt somewhat conflicted on the subject, which troubled her at length, for she was a dragon and she never second guessed herself.

Not for the first time, Eragon picked up on her train of thought, and murmured: _To let Rowan be wild was the best decision. I could not see it at the time, but you could._

Saphira did not answer him with words, but she let him feel her quiet gratitude.

Then Eragon stood, and motioned that the others be silent. Elves, dwarf, Urgal, and dragon all stared at him expectantly. Saphira could feel him gathering his words, and quelling the tiny tremors of nerves. Finally he spoke.

"Friends… students. The journey we continue to take is one which will shape the future of Alagaësia, one which will shape the future of the world, perhaps." Saphira felt him weigh a good many thoughts at once, before he set his feet firmly on one path, which she approved of. Rather than wax on about their futures, he said simply: "I could not ask for a more worthy table of friends by my side."

Saphira growled, loud enough to make the cutlery rattle.

He rolled his eyes at her good-naturedly. "Or a more worthy thunder of dragons."

Dí and Nesnes reacted in the same moment, with the same movement — slamming their fists upon the table. 

"Hear, hear!" the dwarrowdam shouted, while Nesnes bellowed something in the Urgal tongue. Then the two females blinked at one another, bemused.

Eragon laughed, again, and the sound lifted Saphira’s heart. "To the future!" he cried, beaming.

Even the elves echoed his cry, and the three young dragons at Saphira’s side roared their agreement, until the ceiling of the hall shook with the force of their optimism.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It occurred to me that Paolini quite cleverly included a pronunciation guide at the end of all his books, so I thought I'd give you a quick one for the characters I've added. :)
> 
> Nesnes - NESS-ness  
> Verea - veh-RAY-ah  
> Dí - dee  
> Beroan - be-ROWN (rhymes with "throne", 2 syllables)  
> Lelan - LEE-lan  
> Ingolfr - IN-goal-fur
> 
> Enjoy! :)


	6. NEW WORK!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not an update to this one, sorry!

Just thought I would let y'all know that I've made this work into a series, and the main action will be picking up in the next story! It's a bit slow going as I'm in the middle of finals week, unfortunately, but the second work in this series will hopefully be a lot longer and will revolve around the first year or so of Rider training for the six young students. :)


End file.
